


Achromatism

by NekoAisu



Series: VERs [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Diplomacy, F/M, Genderqueer Character, Immigration & Emigration, M/M, Magic, Marriage of Convenience, Modern Royalty, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Reincarnation, Slow Burn, Time Travel Fix-It, Undercover as Married, Xenophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 17:46:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15668157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NekoAisu/pseuds/NekoAisu
Summary: The kings of yore are assholes. Kadin is one hundred percent sure they know how much he hates them, even after keeping him from dying for the eighth time over. He's pretty solidly convinced that the sentiment is returned.





	Achromatism

**Author's Note:**

> This gets rather chaotic, in terms of how much it diverges from canon. Please proceed with caution and an open mind <3

_ "You don't know when to quit, do you, false king?" _

 

Kadin grits his teeth and tries to ignore the incessant burning of the scourge through his veins. "And you, as well. Of all the past kings, the only one here I bow to is Regis. The rest of you are falsehoods to not grant your powers to those who protect your chosen heir."

 

There is no murmur of assent, or immediate rebuttal in response to his words. Only the wash of luciferous flames deems him worthy of a conversation, flickering and crackling as it drips and launches from the edges of the Lucii’s ghostly visages.

 

"Have you no mind!? This is your only hope, we're talking about! I know there will be a price to pay, but this?  _ Really? _ Now you're all just fucking with me," he cries.

 

The Kings stare without eyes, judging his worth on their biased scales.  _ "Choose whose life you wish to save and whose you wish to sacrifice. Then, we will crown you king." _

 

"I don't want to be king! For Astrals' sake, I'd much rather never have had to even think about trading my life for the abilities that you all deem so important as to burden your own blood,” Kadin rebuts. He’s halfway to delirium with the oil slick stain of the scourge crawling out from under his shirt collar in a deadly pattern of fractals and bruising.

 

_ "So you wish not for our power? Are you not fighting to bring a king to the throne?" _

 

Kadin flinches when a gun fires from somewhere behind him, but when he turns to look, his vision flickers out like a light and he stumbles, collapsing to the ground on his knees. He takes in a shuddering breath and feels his head throb ever more insistently. "I ask for the power to protect my King until he's able to protect himself without us by his side. I have no want for power in permanence, or to usurp the rightful line. Just let me help him," he demands. There is no power in his words that the kings could ever hope to be afraid of, no permanence to his life, or to that of his king's.

 

"Please, let me save Noctis."

 

He feels the wash of magic before the scene he had been thrust into fully registers. He feels the tug and tightening of covenants squeezing at his heart, that of the ring's hunger for his life to be thrown away for it to devour. His vision floods back in an explosion of muted blue. "How in the-"

 

_ "Choose who will die. You, or your king." _

The Lucii seem to all look past him all at once and Kadin forces himself to his feet to turn and face that which draws their attention.

 

It’s Noctis. It’s always Noctis that they worry for, that Kadin and the Kings all wish had been blessed with an easier reign, and the moment suspended is no less terrifying.

 

He’s passed out on the Altar with Ardyn’s knife barely a centimeter from his neck. Ignis is strong, yes, but he’s already injured from who knows how many fights throughout Altissia and running on pure adrenaline. There’s no way he can kick the hundred plus kilos of Magitek soldiers off before Ardyn does permanent damage to Noctis.

 

There’s really only one option left to choose.

 

He startles, laughing at the obviousness of his answer. "I would have thought you smart enough to know what I would say to that, really. I agreed to let you take my life the moment I put the Ring on. There is no avoiding a deal."

 

_ "Even if we take your current life and make you relive it again?" _

 

Kadin nearly wheezes. He rubs at the bridge of his nose instead, in hope it’ll alleviate his headache. "Come again?"

 

_ "You shall live a life anew until the King of Light is seated on his throne. Prove your worth in realizing the true king using our gift. If you can make it a reality that our heir is established as the Savior to the Star, you will pass as a king. If you fail, we will take your life as recompense to choose another-"  _ one of the kings extends a hand as if to seal the proposal, imperious in his impunity _ "-do we have a deal?" _

 

"So, if I can make it without all of you old people and keep my King safe until he's taken back Insomnia, I get to live my life all over again and die once he’s on that throne. Should I fail, you'll just kill me anyways," he summarizes. "Sounds fair." 

 

_ Fair as a choice between death and death can be. _

 

He takes the king's hand and throws away his future.

* * *

 

 

Waking up in his long-since-destroyed home at the tender hour of exactly four fifty three in the morning feels surreal. 

 

Kadin pats at his cheeks, his forehead, pinches himself to see if it’s just a terrible dream getting his hopes up again. He slips from out of bed and pads over to his bathroom, knowing the layout of his childhood home by heart even after living in the barracks for four years before the chaos of his emergency reassignment sent him travelling Eos for another two and a half before his… death? Rebirth? Undeadening? Reincarnation? Whatever term applies to a half-dead guy tossed back in time at the price of his life.  _ It’s too fuckin’ early for this level of abiguity.  _

 

He takes a good look at himself and realizes that the old kings must have a terrible sense of humor. He’s a preeteen again and a peek into his boxers only cements the fact that he’ll have to live through the horrors of both puberty and public school once again. He’s smooth as a dolphin all over again, a beanpole of a boy whose only defining traits mark him as something  _ other _ . It's only made worse when one of his sisters slams his door open with a flourish and yells, "Hey, little bro, it's seven already and you aren't up yet! I'll eat all your breakfast if you're not going to join us, y'know!"

 

Kadin blinks owlishly at her. "Loisa, please tell me I'm not dreaming."

 

"Dreaming? That I'd not eat your breakfast before waking you up, you mean?" She puts a hand on her hip and shoots him a dirty look. "That happened  _ one  _ time."

 

He laughs, nearly breathless with the sudden realization that he could have a true do-over. He kicks his blankets off and stands up, racing past her and down the hallway to the dining hall. It's barely even spoken with how soft it's muttered, but as he pushes open the door and wanders over to where he remembers his place at the table being, the reality of his agreement hits him full force. "Holy shit this is real."

 

_ "Good luck, young king. Do not disappoint us." _

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, Kudos, and subscriptions are appreciated greatly!! <3
> 
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